A visit to Gambia is Good

We've been participating in the Agriculture/Environment/Natural Resource Management sector in-service training and yesterday we got the opportunity to visit Gambia is Good's "farm." GIG is an innovative agribusiness project being implemented by an NGO called Concern Universal (http://www.concernuniversal.org/index.php?/working_in_partnership/gambia_is_good). Their "farm" is used as a research and demonstration facility, and we got to see some really cool stuff they are working on. I forgot my camera, but Kelsey remembered hers and was nice enough to let me steal her pictures. Thanks Kelsey!! See below:


Outside GIG


Fun gate using local axes


Solar dryer


Solar oven


Biodigester


Cool way to grow strawberries


Demonstration plots


More demonstration plots


An example of an innovative pump created by SMILE, another one of Concern Universal's projects


Another


Cashew nuts drying before processing. Two interesting facts about cashews: 1) Cashew fruits are quite good and grow attached to the nuts, 2) Cashew nuts are covered by a toxic and highly flammable chemical...as a part of the processing, the nuts must be burned and the toxin removed.


Moringa, a miracle tree. If you don't believe me, check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera


More demonstration plots with drip irrigation


Learning to make "advanced compost." It includes, among other things, cow dung, topsoil and biochar.


Mixing!


Press originally used for sesame seeds, now used for jatropha and moringa seeds


Making biochar (for more information, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochar)


Vetiveria, a cool grass with crazy anti-erosion properties (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysopogon_zizanioides for more information)


Josh with Bakary, the hilarious guy who showed us around


Applying local insecticide with a broom (garlic, onion, hot pepper, ash, soap, tobacco, water)